Solar water heating system



Aug. w 1,873,854

SOLAR WATER HEATING SYSTEM Filed April 5. 1950 Patented Aug. 23, 1932 HENRY A. WHEELER, or WEST rALM'nnAcH, FLORIDA SOLAR WATER HEATING SYSTEM Application filed. April 5,

The invention aims to provide a generally simplified and improved solar water heat ing system embodying a plurality of sunheated coils, one of which forms a part of 6 a water supply line to a tank, While the remainder of the plurality constitutes watercirculating means constantly in communication at both ends With the tank, the construction being such that no automatic valves or other parts liable to get out of order, are

necessary. 7

A further object is to provide a construction in which all of the coils are in heat conducting relation with each other so that any relatively hot coil may transfer heat to an adjacent coil having a lower temperature.

A still further object is to provide a construction in which all of the coils are housed within a single glass-covered casing which,

in connection with the heat-conducting rela tion of the coils, insures maximum heating efliciency thereof.

With the foregoing in view, the invention resides in the novel subject matter hereinafter described and claimed, description belng accomplished by reference to the accompanying drawing.

The figure is a diagrammatic elevation, partly in section of a system constructed in accordance with my invention.

tion with the tank 2, a pipe 8 being shown leading from the coil into the lower portion of said tank. The other end of the coil 5 directly communicates with the remainder 9 of the water supply line. The coils 6 and 'Z are both water-circulating coils and these coils constantly communicate at both of their ends with the upper and lower portions of the tank 2. In the present showing, one end of the coil 7 is connected by a pipe 10 with the upper end of the tank 2, and the 1930. serial No M1379.

adjacent end of the coil 6 is coupled to said pipe 10 as indicated at 11. A pipe 12 is shown leading from the lower end of the tank 2 to the end of the coil 6 remote from the coupling 11, and to this pipe 12, the end ofthe coil 7 remote from the pipe 10, is coupled, as shown at 18. This or a similar arrangement is employed merely to economine on piping, but if desired, any other appropriate provision could be made for placing the ends of the coils '6 and 7 constantly in communication with the upper and lower: portions of the tank 2.

All of the coils 5, 6'and 7 are housed within a shallow glass-covered casing 14 whose glass top is shown at 15, so thatthere will be an intense and substantially uniform heat imparted to the coils from the suns rays. Then too, the coils 5, 6 and 7 are disposed in heat-conducting relation with each other, preferably by disposing them directly in contact with one another and possibly by welding or otherwise integrally connectingthern. This insures that if any coil possesses a higher temperature than an adjacent coil, the latter will absorb some of the heat from the former and hence the efficiency of the heater is increased.

Whenthe coils are being heated and no wateris being drawn from the system, the water in the coil 5 is trapped so that it will be heated to an unusually high degree. The water in the coils 6 and 7 however is constantly circulating and hence these coils are at a somewhat lower temperature, but due to their heat-conducting relation with the coil 5, it transfers some of its heat to said coils 6 and 7, increasing the heating efficiency thereof. When hot water is drawn from the system,

the intensely hot water from the coil 5 enters the tank 2 and of course cold water from the supply line enters said coil 5. Due to the high temperature of the latter however, this cold water is almost instantly heated. Should r the temperature of this coil 5 momentarily drop, it will be promptly restored, due to the fact that said coil then absorbs heat from the adjacent coils 6 and 7.

It will be seen from the foregoing that a system has been provided of unusually simple and inexpensive nature, yet one which will be eificient to the maximum. Particular atten tion is invited to the fact that there are no check valves or other automatic valves em ployed in the entire system and hence there is no cause for frequent repair and moreover the entire apparatus becomes fool-proof.

The details disclosed are for illustrative purposes only, and within the scope of the invention as claimed, numerous variations may be made.

I claim:

1. A solar water heating system comprising a tank having a valved discharge line, and a plurality of sun-heated coils in heatconducting relation with each other to effect transfer of heat from any relatively hot coil to an adjacent coil having a lower temperature, one coil of said plurality constituting part of a water supply line and being in constant communication at one end with the tank and at its other end with the remainder of the supply line, the remainder of said plurality of coils constituting water circulating means and being constantly in communication with both the upper and lower ends of V the tank.

2. A solar water heating system comprising a tank having a valved discharge line, a plurality of sun-heated coils in heat-conducting relation with each other to effect transfer of heat from any relatively hot coil to an adjacent coil having a lower temperature, and a glass covered casing in which all of said coils are housed, one coil of said plurality constituting part of a water supply line and being in constant communication at one end with the tank and at its other end with the remainder of the supply line, the remainder of said plurality of coils constituting water circulating means and being constantly in communication with both the upper and lower ends of the tank.

I11 testimony whereof I affix my signature HENRY A. WVHEELER. 

